Scene on Miles River
From a photograph

"Talbot county was formed in 1660-61. The order by which it was created has not been found, but the Assembly proceedings first show its existence in this year. The existing records of the province have not discovered to us what were its exact limits anterior to the year 1706. In that year they were definitely settled by the existing Act of 1706, Chapter 3, which enacts that 'the bounds of Talbot county shall contain Sharp's Island, Choptank Island, and all the land on the north side of the Great Choptank river; and extend itself up the said river to Tuckahoe Bridge; and from thence with a straight line to the mill commonly called and known by the name of Swetnam's mill, and thence down the south side of Wye river to its mouth and thence down the bay to the place of beginning, including Poplar Island and Bruff's Island'" (McMahon, History of Maryland). The second public school in Maryland was established in Talbot under the Act of 1723. That this school was something more than a mere elementary school is clear from the curriculum laid down in the act, namely, "Grammar, Good Writing and Mathe

matics." There is sufficient evidence for believing that the Talbot Free School was better supplied with good teachers than the private subscription schools, which were often filled by indentured servants. Bampfylde Moore Carew, the "King of the Beggars," came to Talbot as an unwilling emigrant, and the captain of the ship that brought him over recommended him to a planter of Bayside as a "great scholar and an excellent schoolmaster." The school seems to have prospered for a long series of years and was "looked upon as the most frequented in the province." But after the year 1764 no record of it has been found. How long it flourished and when it ceased to exist is unknown. It is believed, upon tradition merely, that it continued in successful operation up to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Talbot people have long cherished their public schools as their most valued privilege and right. The county has an area of 285 square miles, and derives its name from Lord Talbot. It is cut up into peninsulas by the Chesapeake and its tributaries, and is famous for its landscapes and waterscapes. Agriculture, canning, and oyster-catching are its industries. It has furnished governors, United States senators, a secretary of the treasury, and numerous state and national officials and men of mark. Maryland's first historian came from Talbot, and it was the home of Robert Morris's father and the birthplace of John Dickinson. The Delaware and Chesapeake, and Baltimore, Chesapeake, and Atlantic are its transportation lines. Easton, the county seat, was the former "capital" and seat of government on the Eastern Shore, and the first newspaper on this side of the bay was established there more than a century ago. Oxford and St. Michael's are also historic.

Somerset county was erected August 22, 1666, by an order of the provincial Council, and embraced "all that Tract of land within this our province of Maryland bounded on the South with a line drawn from Wattkin's point (being the North point of th't bay into wch the river Wighco formerly called Wighcocomoco afterwards Pocomoke & now Wighcocomoco againe doth fall exclusively) to the Ocean on the East, Nantecoke river on the North & the Sound of Chesipiake bay on the West"; which was erected in the name and as the act of the Lord Proprietary "into a county by the name of Sommersett county in honor to our Deare Sister the lady Mary Somersett." The commissioners, Stephen Horsey, William Stevens, William Thorne, James Jones, John Winder, Henry Boston, George Johnson, and John White, were empowered "to enquire by the Oath of good & lawfull men of all manner of fellonies Witchcrafts inchantmts Sorceryes Magick Arts Trespasses forestallings ingrossing & extorcons" and

"all & singler other Misdeeds and offences." The order appointed "Edmond Beachchampe Clark and Keeper of the Records," and the council issued the same day a commission to Stephen Horsey to be "Sherriffe of Somersett." The first effort to settle the long-standing boundary dispute with Virginia resulted in Scarborough's line depriving Somerset of 23 square miles of territory. Like Dorset, Somerset has jurisdiction over several islands, one of which, Deal's Island, was celebrated early in the last century for its Methodist "Parson " Thomas, who, tradition says, foretold the death of Ross in the attack on Baltimore, and preached to the British on his island. The southeastern corner of Somerset is separated from Accomac, in Virginia, by the Pocomoke river, and the division line continues through Pocomoke sound. The Western Shore is washed by Tangier sound and the bay. The area of Somerset is 362 square miles, and it heads the list of oyster counties, half its population being engaged in that industry. The value of the annual oyster yield from Somerset waters is $2,000,000, and the packing-houses along the southern and western shores utilize from one to one and a half million bushels yearly. In summer oystermen find employment in the crabbing industry, and these shellfish are shipped in enormous quantities to city markets250,000 dozen going from Crisfield alone in a single season. Terrapin are more plentiful in Somerset than in other counties, and "diamond-back farming" is successful. Agriculture is profitable in the interior, and truck-farming is carried on along the lines of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad. Crisfield, near the mouth of the little Annamessex river, with a population of 3,468, is a port of entry for hundreds of vessels, and has extensive industrial and commercial interests. The county seat, Princess Anne, was founded in 1733. Other towns are Fairmount, Oriole, Mt. Vernon, and Kingston.

state.

Dorchester county is the largest on the Eastern Shore, having an area of 610 square miles, and ranks fourth in point of size in the The Great Choptank river and Caroline form its northern boundary, and it has a few miles of eastern border on the Delaware line. The Nanticoke flows along the southeastern border, and on the south and west arms of the Chesapeake and the bay itself inclose the county. Dorchester was formed in 1669-1670, and its name is traced to the earl of Dorset or to Dorsetshire. Various islands are included in its territory, and the Little Choptank, the northwest fork of the Nanticoke, Honga, Fishing, Blackwater, Transquaking, Chicacomico, are rivers and creeks of Dorchester. Fishing bay, Tar bay, Trippe bay, Hooper's straits, and other bodies of water add to the geographical nomen. clature of the county. There is a great extent of marsh land, frequented by myriads of wild ducks, and oysters, crabs, and terrapin